THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to a safety device, and more particularly relates to a safety device mounted in a vehicle having a very large front windscreen or windshield, such as a lorry, truck, bus or coach, or a vehicle having a side window.
It has been found that the drivers of vehicles with large windscreens, such as lorries, trucks, buses or coaches, have a tendency not to wear to seat belts. It is difficult to provide a satisfactory air-bag restraint for a driver of such a vehicle, and the present invention seeks to provide a safety device for
It has also been found that there is a risk of the drivers of certain vehicles to be thrown out through side windows present in their vehicles in the event that specific types of accident should occur, for example a roll-over accident. Thus the present invention also seeks to provide a safety device for use in minimising the risk of an injury in such a situation.
According to this invention, there is provided a safety device in a motor vehicle, the safety device comprising a restraining element, the restraining element initially being retained at a position adjacent a predetermined side edge of a window or windscreen of the vehicle, the restraining element being associated with a plurality of pull cords, drive means being provided to wind in the pull cords in response to a signal from a sensor responsive to a predetermined deceleration or impact of the vehicle, the pull cords comprising at least two pull cords, each of which is connected to a respective point on the restraining element, said points being spaced apart, and which extend past respective guide means, towards the drive means, at least one pull cord being retained by yieldable means in an initial position in which the pull cord at least partially surrounds the window or windscreen, the arrangement being such that at least said cord is released when the drive means wind in the pull cords, the pull cords serving to draw the retaining element to a position in which it extends across the window or windscreen.
Conveniently, each of the pull cords serves to move the retaining element from its initial position to a position in which it extends across the windscreen or window.
Preferably, one or more pull cords becomes tensioned and serves as a guide along which the remaining pull cords may pull the retaining element.
Advantageously, the drive means are adapted to wind in different pull cords at different respective rates.
Conveniently, the drive means comprise a shaft, means to rotate the shaft in response to a signal from said sensor, the shaft driving a relatively large diameter pulley and a relatively small diameter pulley, the relatively large diameter pulley being utilized to pull in a cord with a relatively high rate and the small diameter pulley being used to wind in a cord at a relatively low rate.
Preferably, the drive mechanism incorporates one or more pulley wheels of the same diameter to drive pull cords, at least one of the pull cords initially incorporating a degree of slack such that when the drive mechanism is actuated, while the slack in the said one pull cord is wound in, at least one pull cord becomes substantially taut.
Advantageously, the restraining element is initially retained in a position above a front windscreen or windshield of a motor vehicle, the pull cords comprising two pull cords, each of which is connected to a respective point on the restraining element, substantially adjacent a side edge thereof, and each of which extends adjacent a respective side edge of the windscreen, past guide means located adjacent the edges of the windscreen towards the drive means.
Conveniently, the safety device comprises at least one further cord, the or each further cord initially extending from a respective point spaced inward of the side edges of the windscreen, around the periphery of the windscreen to the drive means, the or each said further cord being retained by said yieldable means.
Preferably, the pull cords are substantially adjacent a side edge of the restraining element, and which extend adjacent respective side edges of the windshield, past guide means located adjacent the side edges of the windshield.
Advantageously, the said further cords are connected to the restraining device.
Conveniently, the said further cords are connected to the vehicle at points adjacent the restraining element.
Preferably, the drive means are adapted to wind in the first pull cords at a predetermined rate, and are adapted to wind in the said further pull cords at a second, higher, predetermined rate.
Advantageously, the drive means are adapted initially to tension the further cords between said respective points and said guide means located beneath said respective points, and then to apply tension to said two pull cords to deploy the restraining element.
Conveniently, the relatively small diameter pulley is adapted to wind in the said two pull cords, and the relatively large diameter pulley is adapted to wind in the further pull cords.
Preferably, the restraining element is initially retained at a position adjacent a side edge of a window at the side of a vehicle, the pull cords comprising at least two pull cords, one of which is connected to a point adjacent the upper edge of the restraining element and which extends across the top of the window and past guide means and to the drive means, whilst the second pull cord is connected to a point adjacent the lower edge of the restraining element and passes across the top of the window and down one side of the window, whilst being retained by the yieldable means, and past guide means located adjacent the lower edge of the window to the drive means.